Fatima Halloum
When Laila Portogallo and her filly Duke crossed the finish line during the exhibition pony race at Moonee Valley Racecourse, she let out a deep breath as the realisation she had just won set in.
The 12-year-old was one of 10 kids participating in the race that night, but she almost didn’t compete.
“I was about to start crying and was gonna pull out because that’s how scared I was,” she said.
“But I had some of my friends from the pony club say ‘look you can do this … get out and give it your all’.”
Laila’s dad, Michael Portogallo, said his daughter had “smashed” the race.
“She didn’t have a really great start, but with her and her pony she got it going and they’ve come through and they won by like two horse lengths, I’m over the moon,” he said.
“They presented her with a gold cup as if you would at the Melbourne cup, they presented her with a probably a $600 bridle that goes over the horse’s head, so the winner won that.”
Laila has been riding horses since she was about six years old and is a member of the Werribee Pony Club.
“She does eventing, which consists of dressage, show jumping, and cross country,” Mr Portogallo said.
Talking on the dangers of the sport, Mr Portogallo said Laila had experienced a few falls but it didn’t deter her from horse riding.
“I’ve caught her in my arms, it was that aggressive the fall. But it’s no different to riding a bike in the street and hitting a gutter,” he said.
“You have to encourage them, or they’re going to be too timid to try anything.”
